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IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay earned the right to use the No. 1 based on his 2012 championship. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Hunter-Reay will use No. 1 for 2013 IndyCar season

December 4, 2012

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Ryan Hunter-Reay has decided to use No. 1 for the next IndyCar season, forgoing the No. 28 that is emotionally important to him.

No. 28 represents the 28 million people battling cancer at any time in the world. Hunter-Reay's mother, Lydia, died of colon cancer in 2009.

Andretti Autosport had the right to take the top number as the IndyCar champions, and Michael Andretti said it was important to the stakeholders, including crew members and sponsors.

"I don't know why more people don't run it," he said of past champions. "It's hard to get."

Hunter-Reay said it was a group decision, but he acknowledged that Andretti was firmly behind the decision.

"You only get so many chances to run it," he said. "Hopefully we'll have more."

Andretti's team unveiled its three-car team for 2013, including Marco Andretti, who is changing from No. 26 to No. 25, and James Hinchcliffe.

"The No. 26 will always be a part of me and my history in racing," said Andretti, "but I think it's grown unlucky for me - I keep hearing that from people too! I like the meaning of 25 versus 26. To me 26 is a character builder through heartache and trials and looking ahead to the No. 25 means success and leadership. It's like my chance to be reborn as a veteran driver."

Entering his third season in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Hinchcliffe will return to the No. 27 Chevrolet.

"For me, personally, this is the first time in my career I'll have the same team for two years in a row," said Hinchcliffe. "I'm excited to work with Go Daddy again, have the same crew and not have the learning curve at the beginning of next season. I won't have a new situation and a new team to learn and settle into and I'll have the same two teammates which great--it's just good to know that off the bat we'll be able to move forward. When the checkered flag dropped in Fontana we were able to immediately start working toward 2013 and we'll continue to work hard through the rest of the off season."